Sixth Avenue farmers market to shut down

The Sixth Avenue Farmers Market in Tacoma is packing up its stalls forever.

Organizers of the market, which operated since 2008, announced Friday that declining sales prompted the closure.

“We know this will be a blow to the community, and we want to thank our loyal shoppers and vendors who showed up each week,” Stacy Carkonen, Tacoma Farmers Market executive director, said in an announcement on the group’s website. “Our energy will now be focused on growing and improving our Broadway, South Tacoma and East Side markets.

“The good news is these markets are growing, and we remain committed to bringing fresh food into the city.”

The Sixth Avenue market operated in the Sixth Avenue Business District and was open Tuesday afternoons each summer.

It was described on the Tacoma Farmers Market website as “a lively gathering place for families” that “offered the highest quality fruits and vegetables from local farms.”

“Unfortunately, the Sixth Avenue Farmers Market faced six straight years of falling sales that became economically unsustainable for vendors and the organization,” according to the announcement.